You reach for the boba cup eagerly, ready to enjoy the refreshing tea in front of you. You stab the plastic straw right into the center of the cup, and it cuts through the plastic lid with a satisfying pop. Perfect. However, once you look up, you find yourself surrounded by judgemental glares, strong disapproval and shining metal straws. “Do you want to kill the turtles?” says your friend beside you, shaking her head with crushing disappointment.
From a slightly too-judgemental friend to the little videos popping up on our social media apps and the relentless lectures of our science teachers, we’re constantly reminded of our impending doom. Climate change is coming. And it’s absolutely terrifying and sad. But above all, it’s frustrating; the idea that we have no control over our planet’s fate is maddeningly hopeless.
But, hey, don’t worry! If you stop moping around, you can help create change! Maybe if you just recycled and had a reusable water bottle, the world wouldn’t be so awful! Stop expecting others to pick up the slack, and be the good you want to see in the world! That is, at least, what some people seem to want us to believe.
It’s a comforting idea, because when faced with something as overwhelming and seemingly impossible as climate change, we want to feel as if we are in control and have power — even if it does mean we have to take the blame for it.
“We want to feel as if we are in control and have power — even if it does mean we have to take the blame for it“
Perhaps that’s what makes it so sad: it’s all a lie. A well-intended lie, but a lie all the same. The cold, bitter reality that no one wants to hear is that we are almost completely powerless at the greedy hands of massive companies and corporations.
According to the Guardian, only 100 companies are responsible for 70% of the world’s carbon emissions. Even worse, only 25 of these companies are responsible for more than half of the world’s carbon emissions. These companies include massive gas and oil corporations such as ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron and Shell, that undoubtedly value and will continue to value profit over our planet.
So is it really fair to blame the average person’s lifestyle for climate change? Sure, our shamelessly long showers and plastic-wrapped meals obviously contribute, and we’re definitely reaping the benefits from the coal, oil and gas industries, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be that way. It’s not an either-or situation; in fact, we in no way need to sacrifice burgers and hot water to stop climate change. It is completely possible to keep our convenient, easy lifestyles. All we need to do is start utilizing renewable energy sources and environmentally friendly materials: both everyday Americans and gas-guzzling, ocean-littering corporations.
However, reducing and eliminating carbon emissions through these big, sweeping, institutional changes are not in the power of the individual. Even in the United States, around 15% of the nation lives under the poverty line — it is incredibly ignorant to expect these types of people to install solar panels or use reusable straws when they can barely afford to feed their family.
So instead of placing the responsibility of solving climate change on the everyday American, we need to implement these changes through the government. By collectively voting for politicians who intend to regulate and tax these 100 companies for their carbon emissions, as well as protesting and striking against those who don’t, change can be most efficiently and quickly accomplished. Change can also be made by supporting bills such as the Green New Deal that will aim to use one-hundred percent clean, renewable energy by 2030 and institute carbon taxes. Obviously, it doesn’t hurt to buy a metal water bottle or exchange clothes second hand, but to really make a difference, we need to stop focusing on and blaming the individual — let us instead hold these wealthy corporations responsible for the damage they have done.
